Information terminal, server apparatus, and information processing method

• US 20090055526A1
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Mikami, Sawako, Takatama, Hirokazu
• Application Number:
  US12/222,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20090055526A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

An information terminal that reduces the effort of presence input is provided. The information terminal is connected via a network to a server for disclosing a presence that is a present state of each user or each object, and includes: a display unit for displaying a presence input screen that is a screen for inputting the presence; a storage unit storing a terminal identifier that differs from one user terminal to another and information on the presence input screen; and a control unit that causes the presence input screen to be displayed on the display unit upon receiving a presence input request signal that is a signal for requesting input of the presence from another information terminal via the network, and when the presence is inputted via an operating unit, transmits the terminal identifier together with the presence to the server.

Claims

1. An information terminal connected via a network to a server for disclosing a presence that is a present state of each user or each object, the information terminal comprising:

a display unit for displaying a presence input screen that is a screen for inputting the presence;

a storage unit storing a terminal identifier that differs from one user terminal to another and information on the presence input screen; and

a control unit that causes the presence input screen to be displayed on the display unit upon receiving a presence input request signal that is a signal for requesting input of the presence from another information terminal via the network, and when the presence is inputted via an operating unit, transmits the terminal identifier together with the presence to the server.

2. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit stores one or more candidates with respect to the presence, and

the control unit causes the one or more candidates to be displayed by the display unit on the presence input screen upon receiving the presence input request signal.

3. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control unit acknowledges a call signal received when there is an incoming call as the presence input request signal.

4. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control unit transmits information on the presence to an information terminal at the transmission source of the presence input request signal.

5. The information terminal according to claim 3, wherein

the storage unit stores answering machine/forwarding setting information that is information regarding a setting of an answering machine or call forwarding, and

the control unit transmits the answering machine/forwarding setting information to a telephone server via the network when receiving the presence input request signal.

6. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit stores information on a presence on non-input that is a presence set when the presence is not inputted and on a display period during which the presence input screen is displayed, and

the control unit receives the presence input request signal, causes the presence input screen to be displayed only during the display period, and if there is no input during the display period, transmits the presence on non-input to the server.

7. The information terminal according to claim 6, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to continue displaying the presence input screen if no presence is inputted during the display period.

8. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes to erase the presence input screen when no presence is inputted during a display period that is a period in which the presence input screen is displayed.

9. The information terminal according to claim 6, wherein the control unit limits use of the terminal by controlling the display unit if no presence is inputted during the display period.

10. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to erase the presence input screen upon receiving a request cancellation signal for cancelling a request from a transmission source of the presence input request signal.

11. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to continue displaying the presence input screen even when receiving a request cancellation signal for cancelling a request from the transmission source of the presence input request signal.

12. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit stores information on one or more candidates to become forwarding destinations of the presence input request signal, and

upon receiving the presence input request signal, the control unit causes the display unit to display information on the one or more candidates, and when a forwarding destination is selected from the one or more candidates, forwards the presence input request signal to one or more selected candidates.

23. The information terminal according to claim 7, wherein the control unit limits use of the terminal by controlling the display unit if no presence is inputted during the display period.

24. The information terminal according to claim 8, wherein the control unit limits use of the terminal by controlling the display unit if no presence is inputted during the display period.

13. The information terminal according to claim I, wherein

the storage unit stores information on one or more candidates to become forwarding destinations of the presence input request signal and on forwarding conditions, and

upon receiving the presence input request signal, the control unit selects a candidate satisfying the forwarding conditions from the one or more candidates, and forwards the presence input request signal to one or more selected candidates.

14. An information terminal connected via a network to a server for disclosing a presence that is a present state of each user, the information terminal comprising:

a storage unit storing information on one or more candidates to become a forwarding destination of a presence input request signal that is a signal requesting input of the presence to the server in regards to another information terminal when transmitting the presence input request signal to the other information terminal, and

a control unit that causes the display unit to display information on the one or more candidates when an instruction for requesting input of a presence to the other information terminal is inputted, and when a forwarding destination is selected from the one or more candidates, forwards the presence input request signal to one or more selected candidates.

15. An information terminal connected via a network to a server for disclosing a presence that is a present state of each user or each object, the information terminal comprising:

a storage unit storing information on one or more candidates to become a forwarding destination of a presence input request signal that is a signal requesting input of the presence to the server in regards to another information terminal when transmitting the presence input request signal to the other information terminal and on forwarding conditions; and

a control unit that selects a candidate satisfying the forwarding conditions from the one or more candidates when an instruction for requesting input of a presence to the other information terminal is inputted, and forwards the presence input request signal to one or more selected candidates.

16. A server apparatus connected via a network to a plurality of information terminals and to a service providing server that provides services, the server apparatus comprising:

a service judgment unit that judges whether a service is to be provided to a request destination information terminal that is an information terminal to which input of a presence is requested based on whether input of a presence has been requested to the request destination information terminal from another information terminal.

17. A server apparatus connected via a network to a plurality of information terminals, the server apparatus comprising:

a service judgment unit that judges whether a service is to be provided to a request destination information terminal that is an information terminal to which input of a presence is requested based on whether input of a presence has been requested to the request destination information terminal from another information terminal; and

a service providing unit that provides the service to the request destination information terminal when the service judgment unit judges that the service can be provided.

18. A server apparatus connected via a network to a plurality of information terminals and to a service providing server that provides services, the server apparatus comprising:

a presence management unit that stores a presence that is a present state of each user or each object and which discloses a presence in response to a request; and

a service judgment unit that judges whether a service is to be provided to one or more information terminals among the plurality of information terminals based on whether the one or more information terminals have been requested input of a presence from another information terminal.

19. A server apparatus connected via a network to a plurality of information terminals, the server apparatus comprising:

a storage unit storing information on one or more candidates to become a forwarding destination of a presence input request signal which is a signal requesting a presence that is a present state of a user with respect to a request destination information terminal that is an information terminal requested to input a presence and on forwarding conditions; and

a control unit that selects a candidate satisfying the forwarding conditions from the one or more candidates upon receiving the presence input request signal from another information terminal to the request destination information terminal, and forwards the presence input request signal to one or more selected candidates.

20. A server apparatus connected via a network to a plurality of information terminals and to a telephone server, the server apparatus comprising:

a storage unit storing answering machine/forwarding setting information that is information on a setting of an answering machine or call forwarding with respect to a request destination information terminal that is an information terminal requested to input a presence; and

a control unit that transmits the answering machine/forwarding setting information with respect to the request destination information terminal to the telephone server upon receiving information on a presence that is a present state of a user transmitted from the request destination information terminal to an information terminal to become a request source of the presence.

21. An information processing method performed by an information terminal connected via a network to a server for disclosing a presence that is a present state of each user or each object, wherein the information processing method:

stores a terminal identifier that differs from one user terminal to another and information on a presence input screen;

causes the presence input screen to be displayed on a display unit upon receiving a presence input request signal that is a signal for requesting input of the presence from another information terminal via the network; and

transmits the terminal identifier together with the presence to the server when the presence is inputted via an operating unit.

22. The information processing method according to claim 21, wherein the information processing method:

stores one or more candidates with respect to the presence; and

causes the display unit to display the one or more candidates on the presence input screen upon receiving the presence input request signal.